Attack of the L.A. Smog Archives

Los Angeles suffered its first big smog attack 67 years ago Monday. This selection of photographs from the vast collection of the UCLA Library gives you a glimpse — often hazy, sometimes wacky — of Southern California’s struggle against smog from the 1940s through the 1960s.

Here Comes the Volts-Wagon

The L.A. Dept. of Power and Water introduced an electric-powered truck in 1967 in hopes of reducing smog. Lead-acid batteries ran the vehicle at 25 mph for about 40 to 60 miles. Recharging took 12 hours.

Switchboard Operators Get an Earful

Grace Miller and Theresa Vincent staff the PBX, or private-branch exchange, switchboard at the Southern California Air Pollution District office in 1959. Air pollution hasn’t gone away, but these PBX rigs have been replaced just about everywhere by direct-dial phone lines and computerized call-routing systems.